I have been super busy trying to get things back in order at my house… First my sister and her hubby came here for a couple days, then we went to see my sister, Deb, for 4 days, then I came home, had 3 days to get ready before Rebecca and Karn came here and stayed 5 days. I needed to tend to a few things over the weekend, but I did manage to get a few things done… I mean sewing-wise! :o) :o)
I took off that tiny blue rose on the bralette for Sara and just did some handwork with embroidery floss, trying to keep it flat so it didn’t look like she had a point in the middle of her chest! Mission accomplished!
Next, I finished her belts from the two ribbons I found. I have to admit, I’m not crazy about how they lay… the sparkly one, is just too stiff and doesn’t hug her waist like it should… and so it just kind of sits there in the front AND the back… If you try and make it tighter, it rides up above the waistline and you can see the seam… I didn’t like that look any better.
The aqua satin ribbon worked better, but still it doesn’t fit exactly as I’d like…
Both of them have pre-tied bows in the back and close with a thin piece of velcro that overlaps.
It really needed a belt from something that was cut on the bias so it would curve with her body or a piece like this cluny lace. I put it around her waist and liked it the best. I may have to send it along with the set to the winner. :o)
I tried to talk Sara into a light aqua teddy bear for her accessory, but she said she was too old for stuffed bears and wanted a purse… I asked her about a basket of flowers but she said she wanted a purse! I tried talking her into a nice book, but she said she wanted a purse! I tried one last time asking her if she’d like to give the winner of this set some nice candy for a treat, but she said a purse would make the winner happier! :o) I asked Sara about a pair of gold shoes and she said the cream colored ones I had were fine… she wanted a purse!
So I looked in my stash and had NOTHING that would work for her.
What’s a girl to do? Go to Etsy and find a purse to make her… I found a pattern that could be downloaded and did the deed! It was for tiny little Blythe, but I enlarged it to 175% for the Ruby Red Fashion Friends dolls. Here is the link to the pattern for the purse…
AnnieDollsOutfit Purse Pattern on Etsy
There is a link to a video (in the listing) that shows how to make it and here it is.
You Tube for making leather purse
I didn’t have any rivets that small and I didn’t have a buckle for the strap, so my purse is slightly modified… Here it is…
Yep, it’s gold… that’s what Sara picked out… Gold Metallic Leather. I used tiny teal buttons to pick up the colors in her dress fabric.
It might be just a slight bit casual for this dress, but it’s the one Sara wanted, and who am I to argue with a doll? :o)
Oh, the hat? I’ll have to save it for tomorrow.. I’m having a colonoscopy and need to have something in the “wings” for another post. Come back tomorrow to see it… It’s wonderful… (I think!)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
The embroidery on the bralette is much better–still adds that touch of “pretty” without interfering with the fit of the dress!
I see what you mean about the ribbon belts; yes, a curved belt would probably work better for these girls. Still, the colors of the ribbons are so pretty, I don’t think anyone is going to mind about them not fitting quite right.
Well, of Course Sara wanted a purse! She looks very happy with the one you made for her; the gold leather and the blue buttons are just right to go with that pretty print!
My Freida is getting Very impatient for me to finish her dress! All I have left to do is to stitch down the CB hems and then sew snaps a bit of embellishment, though, so she may be modeling here before too long!
In other news, my husband Ron went to church today–first time in over four months! Everyone was so happy to see him (you’d have thought he was a rock star or something! LOL), and he confessed to getting a little teary-eyed during the first hymn. We were going to go together, but overslept so I had to hurry; he said he would come along when he was ready, if he was able. He did use his walker to get from his car to the elevator, and I’m glad he did, as he parked a bit away from it. Of course, by the time we got back home and had lunch, he was pretty much done for the day and slept most of the afternoon, but he did go.
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for your kind comments about Sara’s dress set… glad you liked the purse…she does too and I was hoping I picked the right pattern to make… it would make a fun purse for the AG dolls too…just enlarge it…
Sounds like you are almost finished with Freida’s dress…you BOTH will be happy when it is…remember….pictures!
I’m glad Ron was able to make it to church and so wonderful that everyone made him feel so welcome!!
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Love Sara’s new bag. The leather edges look so nice and the stitching is perfect. Were you able to use the new leather smoother? What a great item to add to your Etsy shop if it is working? or maybe it is? I think Sara was definitely right about wanting a gold purse. It is perfect.
Looks like we had a few raindrops last night. We were supposed to get more, but apparently, the weather people were incorrect. Now, I’m going to have to sparingly water the dry potted plants. 🙁
Hi Joy
Thanks for the words of encouragement on Sara’s new gold purse…it’s really cute when you see it in person…I just LOVE all things miniature! I’m going to buy some rivets and a flower punch before I make another one. I glued the edges together
this time and am still going to burnish the edges a little more, but I needed to get my pictures taken and get to bed.
Sorry you rain wasn’t more…
Maybe you’ll get some soon.
Thanks Joy
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m glad you were able to get Sara’s dress finished in time for Easter, Jeanne.
The purse is very cute. I stuck it in my Etsy cart for safekeeping. My Ruby Red might want one as well in the future for carrying kitty treats. 😸 It looks like a very versatile pattern and the price is right.
Sara’s whole outfit turned out so sweet. I really like the cluny lace the best, but personally I would have made a wide sash of the dress fabric to tie in a bow.. Looking forward to seeing the hat tomorrow.
I’m back with another comment. i was just on AGPT and there is a thread about an Etsy strike this week.
https://fortune.com/2022/04/04/thousands-of-etsy-sellers-are-planning-a-strike/
https://etsystrike.org/
Obviously, if we avoid purchases this week it will show support for the sellers and also benefit us. If their fees go up the sellers will increase their prices to compensate for them.
People who are sellers are asked to close their shops at least for today and preferably the entire week.
Thanks for these links. I’ve made good use of them. I’ve been annoyed with Etsy, not the sellers but the company, for a good while now when I found out they were often choosing to accept shops based on their political leanings. I did not think they were created for that purpose and if a shop met the qualifications of original, handmade, etc., that was set out originally they should be allowed and the customers could make the decision where they would shop. Etsy was just practicing another form of censorship.
HI Laura, I had not heard about what was going on at Etsy… I actually got my Etsy shop fiasco figured out… actually Karn did… but I haven’t gotten anything listed back in there… When I got back into my shop, I deactivated everything to make sure it was okay…
Guess maybe I’ll wait a little longer… I think I’ll go read that thread…
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
HI Laura,
Well, it will be finished before Easter, but not in time to “sell” it as an “Easter” dress, so I guess I’ll just call it a Spring dress…Ugh… too many things going on in my life to keep up with my sewing…
I took some more pictures of the dress today and decided to include the cluny lace as a sash and I also found a piece of rayon ribbon that was hiding in my stash. I’m including it too… so this dress set will have 4 belts/ribbons… :o)
I debated about making a fabric sash, but wanted to get my pictures taken, so I opted not to this time… sorry…
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh my goodness! It is already afternoon, and I have yet to comment, although I did see the post earlier. Well, that purse is just darling Jeanne! Sara is a lucky little lady to have someone to not only make her pretty dresses, but also hats, purses and shoes! Oh, pretty undies too! The little bralette is so much better without the bump in the front, and looks no less elegant!
I too like the lace piece for the dress sash, which gives it an antique vibe, while a self fabric sash would be more contemporary. I notice that many dressmakers have a simple dress style that they use over and over, but dress them up with embellishments, jackets, collars, etc. This dress reminds me of that. It is timeless and classic.
Well, another rainy day today and I can’t help but think our California friends need it more than we do! However, this past weekend was wonderful, warm and sunny!
I read that a storm is headed your way. Hope it isn’t awful.
Have you heard from Susette? Seems like it’s been awhile since we have heard from her.
I hope that storm isn’t awful either, but who knows? It’s spring in the Midwest! Susette is fine last I heard, Maybe we will hear from her tomorrow.
Thanks Linda,
I was a little worried that you weren’t in the early morning comments, but thought maybe Willie was visiting you…
Yep, who needs a third bump on their chest? :o) Glad you like it all!
We got more rain today too… the morning started out okay and I was hoping to maybe get outside and take a few pictures, but the rain started before I could get out there…
I did decide to include that piece of cluny lace… I liked it too… and I also added another ribbon I found in my stash… this dress can have lots of different looks!
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
The hat is done, except for decorating? I wonder if there’s a way to use some scraps from the purse leather for a hatband or leaves? It’s a very cute purse. You can use that pattern over and over — enlarge it again and it would work for Julie. I’ve mentioned Julie twice lately — I must want her to have a turn soon.
We’re due to have rain and snow. We had a lovely morning, but there are now clouds. Anything could happen — it’s spring in Colorado.
HI Marilyn,
The hat is all done and decorated… you’ll see it tomorrow! The purse has had a little more burnishing on the edges as well…
I’ve taken note that Julie has been mentioned by you…and she even caught my eye on the dolly shelf today… really she did! :o)
No snow for us, but we did get LOTS of rain and of course, my sewing room was dripping again… my hubby didn’t want to call until I got this colonoscopy ouf of the way…
Enjoy the snow if you get any…
Blessings, Jeanne
The bag is really lovely. I see what you mean about the ribbon belts. Would it help to add a belt loop, you might be able to tighten the ribbon then without it riding up. Looking forward to tomorrow to see the whole outfit finished.
Saw the doctor yesterday and the x – ray results show that my hip has deteriorated from moderate to severe, so I am glad I got another opinion. I have to see the physio for an assessment and will probably go on the list for a hip replacement within the next 4 months. On the up side the medication is helping quite a lot and I have managed to take the dog a couple of mornings this week. Still painful but manageable. Louis is so happy he just loves his walks. She has upped the medication slightly and wants me to lose weight as I will recover much quicker if I do. .
So glad your meds are helping. Great that you are in the que for surgery too. Got to keep Louis happy. 🙂
HI Anne,
Thanks for the compliments on Sara’s purse… I’ll be showing the hat tomorrow,
but had to save back a few pictures of the whole thing because of my colonoscopy… I’m hoping to work on the listing tonight, but no promises…
I debated about making belt loops but decided against it as the bow is pre tied and it would have to be fed through the end with the velcro on it.. didn’t seem like anyone would enjoy doing that… so I decided to add a few more options for the dress… :o)
So sorry to hear about your hip’s deterioration… that’s no fun at all… my hubby is scheduled for his replacement of the “replacement” knee in June… that silly knee… he’s had 2 orthoscopic surgeries on it, one knee replacement, one revision on the replacement and now they are going to take it all out and start over… they said it would be the worst of them all… ick!
I’m glad your medicine is working enough so you can enjoy walking Louis. (Well, at least HE can enjoy the walk!) :o)
Thanks Anne,
Blessings, Jeanne
So sorry about your hip Anne🙁 Hope it will respond to the meds to hold you over till surgery.
Charlotte so glad Ron made it to church! I understand the outing making him tired…it sure happens here.
Jeanne this outfit has to be in my favorite category. The second ribbon looks good as a belt…especially with the way you have it attached. The buyer will love that. Can’t wait to see the hat and that darling purse all put together in the auction pictures
Colonoscopy…..😵💫 take a good nap afterward
HI Kathie,
I’m glad you like this dress set. I wish everyone could see the things I make the way I see them… this is very very pretty in person… The hat matches the background of the dress so well and the flowers do too.
I dug in my ribbons and actually found a rayon ribbon that I’m including too and I decided to use that cluny lace too… You’ll see the hat tomorrow… and hopefully I can get it listed on Ebay very soon…
I plan on taking a nap as I have to get up at 3:45 in the morning to take the second half of my prep stuff…then my appointment is at 7:45… it’s going to be a long day…
Thanks Kathie,
Blessings, Jeanne
I doubt that you’ll be at the appointment for more than an hour. When other person had his, I barely had time to get to Joann’s and he was out, and they were calling. Plan on your favorite lunch as you’ll be hungry. Good luck. 🙂
I’ve been reading the blog every day but have not been commenting much. Not sure what I did but my right elbow has been bothering me and it’s been hard to type. But I did want to say that I love Sara’s new spring outfit and her purse is perfect. And there’s going to be a hat too? Can’t wait. I love your hats.
Sorry to hear about Etsy but if they keep it up they will be out of business before too long. I got a note from Kseniya in Russia the other day that made me sad for everyone, shop keepers and customers alike. I love her things and she is great to deal with. When I got the note back in March that she would be on hiatus for awhile because of the inability to receive payments, I told her to be sure to let me know when she was back. Then the other day I got another note from her saying she could no longer even contact me because Etsy had suspended all the Russian shops and so they could no longer even stay in touch with their customers. I have bought a lot of patterns from Russian sellers and now I won’t be able to contact them if I have a question which I sometimes do because of the translation. I have no idea why they suspended the shops. I’ve had an Etsy shop for years and never had an inventory. I opened it right before I had my car accident. I was planning on selling little girl’s Easter dresses but my recuperation took me way beyond Easter that year and I never got back to it. I was never told I would have to close it if I wasn’t using it. After seeing Etsy’s lack of desire to show good customer service to their shop keepers (Jeanne’s debacle), I wonder if they’re worth it at all. Several of the shops I used to frequent have now moved to eBay and more may be leaving soon it appears.
Joy your young men look so handsome and debonair in their spiffy outfits. And I did notice the hearts. Eviana blushingly told me she thinks Rory is totally cute and she wishes he lived closer so she could get to know him better. I told her maybe in a few years he could come to visit after she gets a little older. She just rolled her eyes and walked away.
I’ll mention Eviana to Rory. 🙂 He isn’t quite interested in girls yet, unless they like to ride bikes and build forts. 🙂
Interesting about Etsy.
I guess girls do notice boys quicker than vice versa. It really used to bug me. Hypothetically there would be this cute boy some girl would like and he acted like she wasn’t anywhere in the universe. I was never too boy crazy but some of my friends sure were. Evianna’s pretty much a girlie girl at the moment but maybe once I make her a pair of jeans the tomboy will come out. Right now she has only one thing to wear and that’s a pretty dress. The rest of her clothes are still on the way – I hope.
HI Barbara,
I’m glad you like Sara’s new spring dress set. I’m plugging along and hope to have it listed soon. Bit by bit I’ll get it done… but tomorrow you’ll see the hat…
I didn’t know what was going on at Etsy until I read Laura’s comments. It must be awful for those sellers who are banned from Etsy and can’t get in touch with their customers… It sounds terrifying to me…
I’m sorry for your friend in Russia…she is paying the price for something she doesn’t want to be a part of… I hope this ends soon…
Thanks Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, I think the dress is lovely. The purse is adorable. Did you make it from your stash of new leather pieces? I think that Sara wanted to be the first to have an item made from these pieces.
Thank you Dorothy,
Your compliments are very kind… I’m glad you like this set…
The leather isn’t from the leather I got in the free bag at Springfield Leather… I bought some from a lady on Ebay a while back… I’m wanting to get it all sorted by color but haven’t figured how to store it yet…right now it’s all just in a big clear tub and I rummage through it when I’m looking for something specific.
The colors in that free bag were mostly earth tone colors so I might have to wait till Fall to make some shoes from it… It’s nice to have those pieces, as I can try out a new pattern and if it works… great… if not, I haven’t lost any money over it. :o)
Thanks Dorothy,
blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
What a lovely outfit! That adorable purse puts it over the top! Love it … but what?!! You’re including one of your sweet hats too?! Oh my sooo awesome! I can’t wait to see it.
I really enjoyed seeing all the goodies you received from your sisters and Rebecca. It’s always fun to see what treasures you’ve found while thrifting. The short video’s of Reuben welcoming the kids home made me smile so much.. how much he loves Rebecca is just adorable!
Linda I enjoyed Molly’s Birthday party so much. I zoomed in and spent some time checking it all out. I love those rose colored goblets, they are so sweet. Every little girl needs pretty grown up goblets at her birthday party! All your girls are just adorable. I’d like to play pin the tail with them!
Joy your little guys are so cute! I love the hearts. They are styling! I’ve lost interest in finishing the dress I started for Hazel… your boy’s outfits make me want to get back and complete her dress.
Charlotte, I’m so happy to hear Ron was feeling up to church Sunday. I’m sure it made him feel very loved!
Anne, Praying your pain is kept in check while you wait for surgery.
Barbara, I’m so sorry to hear your elbow is paining you. A few years ago I had a Cortisone shot in my right elbow. Strange how one day you wake up and you can’t use you arm… I never did figure out what I did to it… thankfully one shot was all that was needed (knock on wood!) Hopefully when you wake your pain will be gone just like it came… but if it doesn’t I recommend the Cortisone shot!
Hugs
Ingrid
HI Ingrid,
Thank you for your sweet compliments on Sara’s new dress set. It was fun pulling the pieces all together, but a bit too late to call this an Easter dress… It will just have to be for Spring! Yes, a hat was in order for this dress and I already had most of the flowers to decorate it with… I just had to buy one or 2 pkgs… and they were half price.
Thanks for your pictures… I’ve got them in my post that will come out tomorrow…
Well, I’ve read all the comments, commented on them, and I think I’m off to bed… only to wake up when “LINDA” does and when “CHARLOTTE” goes to bed!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I am praying you are safely through with your procedure. This was timely for me because I was thinking that I would cancel my upcoming appointment for the same. You have encouraged me to keep the appointment.
On a happier note, I love Sara’s new frock! One day soon my Sara will be free from the closet and ready for a dress like the one you made. I am so glad that I discovered your blog and was introduced to the Sofa Sisters, Ruby Red Fashion Friends, and Little Darlings.
Our unpacking has been delayed by holiday gatherings, two bathroom remodels, and two trips back to our home state of Louisiana for family celebrations, all in the space of 5 months. North Carolina has yet to feel like home and I am questioning the move close to adult children instead of the place where our siblings and friends still live was the right choice.
My personal time has been so limited but I have enjoyed catching up on everyone’s doll photos, Jeanne’s adventures with family, Joy’s package capers, and Sally’s enviable trip to Europe.
Thanks to all,
Debbie
Happy Soon to be Easter Jeanne and girls! I am sorry I am late on this, but I have been busy watching my twin grandsons each weekend and researching Neo Blythe Doll PDF patterns to sew. I love what you have done with this doll’s outfit for Easter. I love the purse, the handmade bonnet (you do these very well) and the under garments and dress and belt. She is very pretty and looks great in the Easter ensemble that you created for her. Happy Easter and God Bless!
Hi Jeanne!
Long time, no comment! Love the outfit. We must be on the same timetable or something. I also had a colonoscopy recently – the 14th. Hope your’s went fine.